Forgiveness
by Strifegirl
Summary: Tifa always had a crush on her childhood friend Cloud Strife, but her relationship with him has been somewhat difficult and she was beginning to feel left out. She needed some attention from time to time and that's when she met Noctis.
1. Chapter 1

**Cloud and Tifa  
"Forgiveness"  
Written by Strifegirl**

Pairing: Cloud/Tifa

Summary: Lately, Cloud's relationship with Tifa has been somewhat difficult since Cloud has been gone more than usual and because of this, Tifa was beginning to feel lonely and depressed around the bar; and that's when she met Noctis.

Type: One-Shot/Crossover

Status: In Progress

Timeline: Set a year after Advent Children.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII. Square-enix owns Final Fantasy and its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended.

**"Forgiveness"**

That afternoon, Cloud returns early from his deliveries. Tifa, who was still tending the bar, saw him enter through the front door. Although she was surprised to see him, she came to greet him happily.

"You're early. How did it go with the deliveries?"

"Good." he replied as he put some boxes on the floor. Tifa raised an eyebrow after hearing his cold respond.

"Um… do you want me to fix you something?" she asked him.

"No thanks. I'm fine." Cloud said nothing more and simply retired to his room to rest, leaving Tifa a little bit confused. Cloud was a man of few words, but there was something about his tone of voice that made her think that something was wrong. Tifa simply ignored the awkward moment and return to work. She had too much work to do to care about what happened to him.

A few hours later, Cloud came downstairs as usual to work in the bar. He always sat at the same bar stool that was across the galley, just to keep an eye on things in case some of the drunken tries to do something. Tifa smiled in relief when she saw him sitting at the bar stool, even though she was still feeling a little uneasy for their little chat earlier. Somehow, he seemed upset about something and while he was in there, his eyes were fixed on her; as if he was studying her every move. She didn't understand the reason for his behavior but she didn't complain either.

* * *

Closing time was approaching and she began to walk the customers out of the bar. But just when she thought that they wouldn't be any customers, another guy entered the bar. Cloud saw him enter and immediately put himself on alert. He was different from the other regulars who came to the bar. Tifa treated him like any other customer; however, Cloud could see there was something else there. He was very confident when he talked to her and Tifa seems to respond the same way; as if he already knew her. Cloud didn't take his eyes off of her while he was in there. There was something about this guy and the way he looked at her that made him feel jealous.

Tifa, on the other hand, starts to feel uncomfortable when she realized that Cloud was looking at her. She tried to avoid eye contact but his gaze was like a needle piercing into her very soul. He knew her very well. Too well, to realize her nervousness when something wasn't right. Obviously, she was hiding something but she didn't want him to find out of what it was.

The truth is… there's been a rumor that Tifa has been seeing someone while Cloud is out doing deliveries. He overheard a conversation between Tifa and the Ninja girl named Yuffie about a handsome young man who comes every night to drink at the bar. She described him as a tall, dark bluish hair guy with spikes like Cloud's. Despite his appearance, he was very polite among all the other drunken guys who came to the bar. He always stays with her to keep her company until she closes the bar. No wonder why he got her attention.

Lately, Cloud and Tifa's relationship has been somewhat difficult since Cloud has been gone more than usual and some nights he did not return. And because of this, Tifa was beginning to feel lonely and depressed around the bar; she needs some attention from time to time and that's when she met this guy. Unlike his relationship with Cloud, this guy was always there for her, trying to make her feel better after the long hours of work. Somehow, he managed to get closer to her, to the point that she began to feel attracted to him as well.

Meanwhile, the guy felt that he was being watched and he turned slightly to look around. He saw a pair of blue eyes with blonde spikes staring at him. He was sitting right across the galley on one of the bar stools. Their eyes met for a moment and he felt some hostility coming from his gaze. At first he was somewhat confused, but then he realized that he was indeed watching him. He then broke eye contact upon hearing Tifa calling his name.

_Noctis_. That was the name she said. A name worthy of an opponent, Cloud thought.

Noctis was a very wealthy man. He is the successor of the Caelum family. However, he was isolated due to the city's resistance. In order to protect himself against invading heretics, he had to hide himself into the city as a common citizen. And that's how he met Tifa. However, he was no fool. He knew that the reason that the blonde guy was staring at her was because of her and he realized that he was out of place and had no choice but to leave the bar to avoid her problems.

"Excuse Tifa, but I must go now." He said.

"But… Why? You just got here…" she asked bewildered.

"I know but…" He turned his head slightly. "…there's something that caught my attention and I need to leave for now." He explained.

"I see. Well… I guess I'll see you in other time." She gave him a warm smiled.

"Yeah, you can count on that." He stood up from his chair. "Thanks again, Tifa." He said goodbye warmly and then headed towards the door while Cloud followed him with his eyes. If looks could kill, he probably would be dead by now. Noctis just ignored him as he walks out and Cloud could feel his blood boiling with anger. He then turned his head towards Tifa who was still tending at the bar. He waited until the bar was closed, so that he could talk to her in private.

* * *

An hour later, Tifa closes the bar and locks the door. She leans against the doorway for a while and sighs deeply. She was exhausted from the long day at work and all she wanted to do was to get some rest. Cloud on the other hand, was still sitting on the bar stool looking at her. He was waiting for her to say something but she simply ignored what just happened and went to the counter to clean up. He then got up from the bar stool and approached to the counter as well. Tifa was cleaning the dishes and she felt him staring at her.

"Tifa…" he called her and Tifa turns her head to look at him. His eyes were fixed on hers and she begins to feel nervous as he watched her. She turned her head again to avoid his gaze and she tried to act normal.

"So now you wanna talk?" she said in a sarcastic tone. She was still a little bit upset from his behavior and she simply ignored him. "Well, I'm sorry. I'm kinda busy now, so I'm gonna have to…"

"You think I don't know what's going on?" He interrupted her abruptly. Tifa reacted at this and she turns around to gaze at him.

"What are you talking about?" she asked bewildered.

"You know what I mean…" he points with his gaze to the chair that Noctis was sitting on. Tifa followed his gaze and that's when she realized what he meant. He was talking about Noctis. Her tongue froze in her mouth and she couldn't say anything at that moment. "You really thought that I wouldn't notice?" He said with a serious look. Tifa closed her eyes as she pressed her lips and then turns her eyes to him to explain.

"Is not what it looks like…" she responded.

"Don't lie to me!" He smashed the counter and Tifa startled. "Is it true?" He looked at her. Tifa lowered her head and said nothing in response and Cloud's face turned serious. "Fine..." He turns around and heads back to his bedroom. Tifa was surprised of his reaction and she stayed there for a moment trying to recover from the encounter. She didn't know what else to do, so she went back to the kitchen to wait for him to calm down so she could talk to him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cloud was upstairs in his room trying to calm himself. He was so angry that he began to smash things and throw papers in the air. He smashed one of his fists to the wall and all he wanted to do was to leave that place. Obviously, he wasn't thinking clearly because of his jealousy. He lies down for a while to calm himself and after a few minutes, he finally came to his senses and sat on the edge of his bed. A tear came down from his eyes and he wiped them away as soonest he heard footsteps coming from the stairs. Tifa entered the room and saw him sitting at the edge of his bed. Slowly, she approached him and sat on the other side of the bed facing him. He didn't turn his head while she was in there. Tifa waited patiently and his name slipped from her lips as a sigh.

"…Cloud…" she said softly. His heart crushes at the sound of her voice calling his name. He was so devastated that he just didn't want anything to do with her at that moment. He stood up from his bed and turned his back on Tifa.

"I'm leaving." He said abruptly. Tifa snapped when she heard those words coming from him and immediately reacted.

"Don't go! Please, I beg you…" she paused for a moment and Cloud turned his head slightly. "I know what I did was wrong… but please, don't go away." She lowered her head. Cloud stood there without saying anything and Tifa looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I uh… I'm sorry." Her voice was breaking.

He lowered his head and said nothing in return. He wanted to believe her, but his anger took over and he simply walked away. Tifa couldn't believe what was happening. Her worst nightmare was becoming a reality and she didn't know how to stop him. All she could do now was to stay there and mourn bitterly.

Cloud came downstairs and took his keys from the counter and exited the front door. He was also crying and his sight was all blurry because of the tears; but that didn't stop him and he drove aimlessly in the middle of the night. As he drives fast into the city, all he could think was in her. Her smile, her skin, her hair, her lips, her eyes… those beautiful brown eyes that he always felt so warm and secure. He knew she was heartbroken by all of this; and to think that she was also crying, made him feel worst. He hated when she cried and this time, he was the one who made her cry. He didn't know what else to do. He needed to be alone for a while and the only place he could find some peace and quiet was at the church in the slums. He stopped in front of the church and stood there for a minute until his cell phone rang. He saw the call and didn't answer. The message took over and they left a voice mail.

It was Tifa.

_**A/N: I got inspired from one of my AMV's :3 There's another chapter for this story o.o so enjoy this part for now and let me know with your reviews if you want me to continue with the story ;3**_


	2. Chapter 2

Back at the Seventh Heaven…

Tifa left a message on his cell phone. She was in great grief and she didn't know what else to do to make him come back. It was the first time that she saw him so upset and she was afraid that this time, he might leave for good. She was on the edge of the breakdown and she had no choice but to call Noctis. She knew she could make things worse by calling him, but she didn't know who else to call.

Noctis picked up the phone and he couldn't believe of who was calling him. At first he was surprised and very pleased to hear her voice, but then his face changed into concern when he hears that she was crying. He knew something was wrong and he told Tifa to endure for a few minutes until he arrives. When he hanged up, he quickly grabbed his coat and without thinking twice, he went to Seventh Heaven. It was very dangerous for him to go out like that in the middle of the night, but that didn't matter to him. She needed him and he was willing to do anything for her.

Meanwhile, Tifa was in the bar consumed by her grief. She was trembling and her tears wouldn't stop from falling. Minutes later, she heard knocks on the door and she stood up quickly and heads to the door. She thought for a second that the one in front of her was Cloud but then she cleared her sight when she wiped her tears and she saw Noctis staring at her with concerned eyes. She began to cry immediately and he took her into his arms. He tried to reassure her but she just couldn't stop crying. When she recovered from her breakdown, he asked him what happened and she told him everything. Her words were piercing his heart like a thousand needles and that's when he realizes that there was nothing he could do to make her feel better. The only way she could get back to herself was to get Cloud back. He dried her tears off and promised her to help her find him as if is the last thing he would do. She smiled upon hearing his words of comforting and she thanked him with a hug. She was attracted to him as well, but her heart already belonged to another man.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cloud was still at the church trying to regain his composure. He wanted to talk to someone to ease his pain, but unfortunately, the one who was always there to listen to him was no longer around him.

Tifa was more than just his best friend; she was his confident, his soul mate, his companion and his almost lover. He never realized how much he needed her until now and he regretted for not having the courage to tell her all those nights when they were left alone in the bar of how much she meant to him and how much he wanted to be with her. He always had a crush on her, even with Aerith around; no matter what he did, she was always in his mind. He hoped that someday she would be able to see right thought him and finally tell her about his feelings towards her. But it was too late now; he was losing her and all because of his insecurity.

Although he was devastated about all of this, somehow he knew deep down inside that this would happen. She wasn't going to wait for him all the time and it was obvious that she would try to move on with her life. He didn't blame her, not once. Cloud tried to forget about her while he was still in there, but he could still hear her voice and laughter in his head. Cloud shook his head in frustration and tried to avoid those thoughts of her, but there was no use. He still loved her with the same passion that he did when he met her for the first time. He approached to the pool and kneeled to grab some water to splash on his face. After he did that, he saw his reflection on the water. A precious memory came to his mind. He remembered the promise he once made to her under the stars and with this, he begins to cry in sorrow. His pain was consuming his insides and it was eating him alive bit by bit.

A few moments later, he got up from his knees and went back to his Fenrir to leave that place. He drove aimlessly in the middle of the night.

* * *

The hours went by and there was still no sign from Cloud. Tifa was beginning to lose hope and Noctis held her hand to reassure her.

"Don't worry, he will be back." he curled his thumb in her hand.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked with tearful eyes. Noctis placed one of his hands to cup her cheek and wipe her tears.

"Because… He loves you." His voice trailed off. "I knew it from the moment I saw him staring at you. The way he looked at you, is crystal clear that he really cares about you. Otherwise he wouldn't be so upset…"

Tifa felt warm upon hearing his words of comfort and she smiled slightly at him. She then puts her forehead on his shoulder and Noctis did the same with his chin on her head. He closed his eyes and breathes deeply to smell her sweet scent.

He really liked her a lot, but he knew that she was truly in love with Cloud and that she was out of his reach. He even planned to tell her about his feelings that afternoon, but when he saw the chemistry between Cloud and her, he realized that he was out of place.

"I'm sorry…" She broke the silence. Noctis gazed at her with a puzzled look on his face. "I didn't mean for all of this to happen…" she paused for a moment before she continued. "I'm really so…"

"Don't…" he interrupted her and Tifa looked at him. "Don't ever apologize for that." She lowered her gaze and looked down with regret. "I'm really grateful for you. You are a wonderful person and I'm glad that I've met you." He trailed off his gaze. "Cloud is very lucky to have you." Tifa's eyes begin to fill with tears and once again, Noctis grabbed her cheek and caress her with his thumb. "I know he will do the right thing." Tifa nodded in respond and then wrapped her arms around his neck. Noctis smiled at her gesture and returned the embrace with the same tenderness.

"Thanks you." She whispered. Noctis closed his eyes and remained like that for a while. He wanted that night to last forever, but he knew that it was time to let her go.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay ppl n_nU I've been a little busy these days o.o and I haven't been able to finish this fic n_nU but I promise to finish this later ^_^ hope you guys enjoy it and sorry for the bad english xD**_


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud arrived to Forgotten City. He stopped near the lake to think for a while. However, he wasn't alone.

"You can come out now." He said as he turned his gaze over his shoulder. A figure in a cape appears from the shadows and approaches to him from behind. It was none other than Vincent Valentine; a former Turk from Shira Company and one of Cloud's old friends.

"How long have you've been standing there?" Cloud asked.

"A while." He replied. "Tifa called. She said that you left 7th Heaven. She's worried about you."

"I don't care. I'm not going back." Cloud frowned.

"Are you guys fighting?"

Cloud said nothing in response and simply lowered his head to avoid the question.

"I see."

Vincent was not exactly the type of person who could hold a conversation. Like Cloud, he was a man of few words and let his actions speak for themselves.; but in this case, it was different. Cloud needed to talk things out and had no choice but to trust him.

After the long silence, Cloud let out a few words…

"I'm losing her, Vince…"

Vincent turned his head to gaze at Cloud while he begins to explain what happened. He listened carefully to his side of the story and Cloud's face begins to fill with sadness as he continues.

"I still love her…" Cloud's voice trailed off.

"Did you tell her that?"

"No." he lowered his head.

"Then you should." Vincent replied.

"How can I… after what she did to me…" once again he frowned. Vincent is silent for a moment and then begins to speak.

"Don't blind yourself with anger. There may be a reason of why she did what she did… but don't do something that you'll regret afterwards."

Cloud's face changes while he listens to his words. Although Vincent has never been very eloquent guy, somehow, he always managed to find the right words to say when the time is needed. He was a good friend in times like these and Cloud knew that it was best for him to listen to his advice.

"Sometimes forgiveness can be hard…" Vincent paused. "…but is also a way to start something new."

And with that, Cloud realized that his behavior might have caused her to look in Noctis, something that he didn't give her. He also understood that maybe this was not entirely her fault and it wouldn't have happened if he had been there instead of making additional deliveries.

Cloud stood up from the ground and watched the ripples from the water. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to cool his head. He then opened his eyes with a slight smirk in his face.

"Thanks Vince. I'll do what I can to make this work…"

Vincent nods his head in approval and then, Cloud goes to his Fenrir to leave the Forgotten City. He was determined not to give up on her now.

* * *

Back at 7th Heaven.

The phone rang and Tifa ran to answer it.

"Hello? Cloud?" Tifa's eyes trailed off after hearing that it was only Barret who was calling. "…Oh, it's you Barret. I see… Well, thanks for calling me back." She hangs up.

"Any luck?" Noctis asked her.

"No… there's still no sign of him." She put her hands on her face as she sits on the barstool. She was getting impatient and the night was getting heavier. She wanted to stay awake for a little bit longer, but she was so tired that she just couldn't keep her eyes open. Noctis saw her fatigue and immediately suggest her to go upstairs and get some sleep.

"I know this might be difficult for you now," he approached her. "But I think it's better for you to go get some rest."

"But what if he comes back? What if he calls and I'm not…"

"Don't worry." He interrupted her. "We'll keep looking for him in the morning." He smiled gently. Tifa sighed in relief upon hearing his words and gave him a warm smile.

"I guess you're right." She was still concerned about Cloud, but somehow she felt really calm around Noctis. In some ways, he reminded her of Cloud.

"Well in that case, I should probably get back to my apartment." He stood up from his chair and went to the entrance.

Thanks for staying here with me," she said as she walked him to the door. "I don't know what I would've done if it wasn't for you."

"Don't mention it. Although, I wish I could have been more useful…" he trailed off from her gaze. Tifa chuckled after hearing his sincere words and cupped his cheek in her hand to gain his attention while she caresses his face with her thumb.

"You've done more than enough." She said with a warm smile. Noctis looked into her eyes and he also replied with a slight smile. He gets lost in the moment and without thinking he throws his arms around Tifa to embrace her. Tifa is surprised at first, but then she wraps her arms around him as well.

"No matter what happens… I want you to know that I'm here for you…" he whispered in her ear.

Tifa tightens the grip as she buries her face in his shoulder. She couldn't help but feel guilty for having allowed this to happen. She more than anyone knows about his feelings towards her and didn't want to hurt him because of her confusion. She begins to weep softly in his shoulder and Noctis places one of his hands in her head to reassure her. They parted and once again, he dries her tears. Tifa loved the feeling of his hands stroking her face, but deep down inside, she wanted that those caress were from Cloud instead of him.

Noctis on the other hand, was struggling against his desire to kiss her and taste the sweet nectar that emanated from her mouth. There was nothing he could ever want more than to feel her lips against his and be able to express all his affection for her through them; but all he could do now was comfort her with his touch. Once again he placed his hands in her face to see her in the eyes. She gets lost in those red eyes of him and couldn't help the blush. Noctis smiles at her and leans forward to press a soft kiss on her forehead. Tifa closed her eyes when she felt the contact with his lips.

"Good-night Tifa." He said while he parted.

"Good-night." She nodded.

Noctis leaves the bar and walks back to his apartment.

_To be continued_

**_A/N: I'm really sorry for the late update n_nU I haven't been able to finish this because of my thesis D: so I hope you guys can wait til I can finish this fic ;) enjoy the last chap and let me know if you like it so far ^_^_**


	4. Chapter 4

Tifa went upstairs to her bedroom to try to pull herself back together. As usual, she goes into the shower to take a nice hot bath before going to sleep. She let the hot water cover her entire body to relax her muscles and wash away the pain. Although, while she was in there, in all she could think of was in Cloud. Her mind wandered into her memories with Cloud and soon she forgot about everything else and ended up snuggling herself into a ball on the corner of the shower. She was lost without him and the thought of never see him again was too unbearable for her.

After the bath, she stood up from the shower and took one of her towels to cover herself. She walked with her bare feet to her room, dripping the water from her body. Once in her room, she dried her body with the towel and then put on her pajamas. She sat on the edge of her bed and grabbed a comb from her drawer to brush her long hair. Then she lies down in her bed and tries to get some sleep.

Unable to sleep, she begins to toss and turn in her bed thinking about Cloud. How long would it take for him to realize how much she needed him? Would he give her another chance? Would he ever come back to her? Those were some of the questions she had in her mind.

She remembered the night where he made a promise to her under the stars. A tear ran down her cheek at the memories they shared together. She was so lonely without him. Life without him is meaningless and once again, she began to mourn in silence, until her exhaustion overcame her eyes and fell asleep.

Later that same night, Tifa had a nightmare. She was calling for him desperately in her dream as she trembles, fearing that he would never show up again.

Suddenly, a shadow came over to her and sat on the edge of her bed. Her dream was so deep that she didn't notice the presence of someone else in her room. A warm hand appeared and begins to caresses her face in order to reassure her. Tifa skipped a bit after feeling the contact, but then she began to calm down slowly, driven by the tender touch.

"_Cloud__…"_ she whispered softly without opening her eyes. The hand stroked her cheek gently and dried her tears off. She wanted to open her eyes so badly but she was under a spell that made her sleep even deeper. Whoever it was casting the spell, didn't want her to wake up.

Tifa murmured under the effect of the spell and she struggles to open her eyes, so she may see the culprit of such tender caress. She wanted to believe that it was Cloud who was in there, touching her and rubbing her lips in her skin.

After several minutes, the spell was starting to lose its effect and bit by bit she began to feel more alert and more awake. By the time she was able to open her eyes, the culprit of such lovely caress was already gone. She rose from her bed and quickly ran into the hallway, but there was no one there. Confused, she retired to her room to think about her strange dream and once again fell into sleep.

* * *

Noctis kept thinking about her all the way back to his apartment. He was so worried that she might end up doing something crazy because of her grief. He couldn't understand how someone like Tifa could be able to love someone like Cloud, when all he does is to hurt her. Noctis frowned at that thought. He clenched his teeth and cursed himself for letting Cloud hurt his beloved Tifa. He swore that one day he would make him pay for all the damage he had caused her.

However, he did not know that fate had already taken care of that.

As he arrived to the Meteor Monument, Noctis stops in front of the statue and sees a familiar figure standing in the middle of the plaza. He narrowed his eyes trying to figure out the person who was there. Then, the familiar figure turned towards him to face him and Noctis opened his eyes only to frown once again upon seeing the person who was now standing in front of him.

Indeed, it was Cloud Strife, who had been waiting his arrival with great anxiety. At first he wasn't sure what to do, but then he saw that Cloud had already drawn his sword and that gave him a hint of what was about to happen.

"I won't let you take her away from me." Cloud said firmly with a serious look on his face.

"I don't have to." Noctis draws his sword. "…because you've already done that yourself."

"Tch!" Cloud clenched his teeth and assumes an attack position and Noctis does the same.

They stare to each other for moment, until Cloud makes the first move and attacks him. Noctis on the other hand, stays put and waits for him to come closer and counter his attack. Fortunately, Cloud's reflexes were very sharp and when Noctis tries to slice him with his sword, Cloud rolls over and dodges the attack. He then casts Firaga and Noctis returns the attack by using his swords as a shield. The fight went on and soon there was pandemonium on the streets of Edge.

* * *

Back at Seven Heaven, Tifa wakes up upon hearing the screams of the people from Edge. She wondered what was happening and immediately rose from her bed to see what all the commotion was. She saw from her window some people on the street running away through the alley. Unable to see what was going on, she put on her dressing gown and went downstairs to open the bar's front door.

"Excuse me sir, what's with the yelling?" she asked to one of the people who were running away.

"There's a big fight between two swords men on the plaza and they're making a huge mess on Meteor Monument." He said panting.

Tifa skipped a bit when she heard the word "sword" and immediately ran back inside to get dressed and then ran to the monument as fast as she could. Something inside her told her that this was no ordinary fight and she knew she had to get there in time before something it was too late.

Finally she arrived to Meteor Monument and there was a huge crowd trying to get away from the fight. She made her way through the crowd and that's when she saw them.

Noctis and Cloud were fighting each other and none of them realized that Tifa was there witnessing the terrible fight.

Cloud kneeled holding onto his sword while he spits blood from his mouth. He was badly injured from the last attack and Noctis was preparing to give him the final blow. Cloud tried to get up but he was too weak to dodge his attack.

Tifa was horrified by the terrible scene and without thinking she ran to them with tears on her eyes.

"Stop! Both of you stop this!" she screamed while she runs to meet them.

Noctis stops the attack upon hearing the voice of Tifa and he turns around to look for her on the crowd. Cloud also gazed at her when he saw her running towards them. The face of Noctis was filled with sadness to see that she was crying over this and slowly, he begins to walk toward her. Cloud saw this as an opportunity and rose from the ground grabbing his sword to prepare his attack.

"This is it…" he said smirking.

Noctis was too distracted to notice Cloud's movements and didn't realize when he shot Blade Beam at him. Noctis turns around but couldn't dodge the attack on time. It was a direct hit, which cause a huge explosion shooting thousands of debris into the air.

Cloud was victorious and smiles knowing he had finally defeated his rival. However, there was no sign of Tifa anywhere. As the smoke dissipated, he ran towards the debris and that's when he realizes the terrible mistake he made.

Tifa was on the ground unconscious and seriously injured.

To be continued...

_**A/N: I am terribly sorry for those who were following this fic :( but I was really busy with my thesis that I just couldn't get the time to finish this until now XD so I hope you guys enjoy the latest chap**_


	5. Chapter 5

Tifa had been hit by the explosion, which caused her to come out flying in the air.

Cloud was petrified after realizing the damage he had caused. His throat became dried and he widened his eyes when he saw her beautiful body covered in blood. At that instant, he felt that something burst into his chest and had trouble breathing.

He dropped his sword on the floor and made haste to where Tifa lay and quickly took her in his arms.

"Tifa! Tifa!" He called desperately but she didn't answer. Frustrated, he begins to shake her in order to wake her but there was still no answer. Cloud was about to lose it when he heard a slight gasp coming from her.

"...Cloud..." she said weakly.

"Tifa!"

"Cloud..." she coughed. "I'm so sorry..." her voice was soothing.

"Shh... Don't talk. Everything is going to be okay..." he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Cloud... I..." she coughed more blood.

"Stay with me Teef..."

"I... love... you..." her voice trailed off. His eyes widened and then filled with tears. And with her last breath, she died.

"Tifa? Tifa! ...No, please! Don't leave me. Please wake up! Please!" he lifts her up and buries his face in her neck. Devastated, he begins to mourn bitterly and shouts her name to the sky.

Once again, he had lost a loved one and he cursed himself for letting this happened. Life was meaningless without her. He will no longer see her smile, or hear her laughter, or tell her how much he loved her.

She was gone and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.

* * *

Cloud rose from his bed abruptly. He was panting and sweating and his heart was beating fast. He recovers from his shock and then realizes that he was still in his bedroom. Without thinking twice, he rose from his bed and ran to Tifa's room to look for her.

"Tifa?" he said as he opened the door of her bedroom. He looked around and there was no sign of her. Quickly he makes haste and goes downstairs. He searched for her in the bar and then in the kitchen, he even went outside but there was no sign of her anywhere.

_Was she really gone?_

Overwhelmed, Cloud sat on the steps of the entrance to the bar with his hands over his face. A tear ran down his cheek as he pronounces her name with a sigh.

"Tifa..." he sobs quietly.

"Cloud?" a familiar voice sounded from afar. Cloud raised his head and his eyes widen when he saw her beautiful figure standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked bewildered.

Cloud was speechless. His mind was in blank and he wasn't sure if this was just another dream or his mind was playing tricks on him. After hearing no response from him, Tifa gets closer to him and places one hand on his forehead to make sure that he didn't have any fever.

"Are you alright?" she asked worried.

Still no reaction from him.

"What's wrong?" she raised an eyebrow. "You look like you've seen a ghost." She teased. He shook his head and finally said something.

"Where were you?" he asked confused.

"I was at the back throwing the garbage and then I heard you calling me so I-..."

Cloud stood up and pulled her into his arms. Tifa was taken by surprise and her eyes widened after feeling his strong arms around her. Cloud buried his face in her neck as he tightened the hug.

"Cloud... you're hurting me..." she said afterwards.

He pulled away from her and looked at her worried.

"I'm sorry!" he said suddenly.

Tifa giggled a bit and then smiled at him "Its okay." Cloud gets lost in her brown eyes for a moment and she blushes. "What were you doing here anyway?" she tries to break the awkward moment.

"Looking for you." he said simply.

"But I've been here all the time." she said confused.

Cloud narrowed his eyes and smiles tenderly at her. He then took her hands in his and placed them on his face to feel her warmth. Tifa watches him carefully as he rubbed her hands against his face. He looked so vulnerable and she felt the urge to take him into her arms to comfort him.

"Cloud?" she said softly. "Is everything alright?"

Cloud opened his eyes and looked into hers. His eyes had a strange glow in them that made her think that he was about to cry. They say that when a man is in love you can see it in his eyes; but right now, his eyes were full of sadness.

"I'm sorry Teef."

"For what?" she asked confused.

"For everything." He paused. "For not being here for you whenever you needed me." His voice trailed off.

"It's alright. I understand that you were on deliveries..." she tried to make him feel less dense.

"That's no excuse for my behavior." He looked into her eyes.

"So... you're not mad at me?" she asked softly.

"No Teef. I would never be mad at you. I can't." He took her hands and begins to draw circles with his thumbs. "Not after all you've done for me." He lowered his head. "I really don't deserve you..." His voice trailed off once again.

Tifa narrowed her eyes and smiled tenderly and she grabbed his face to gain his attention.

"Isn't that up to me to decide?" she smiled.

Cloud searches for her eyes and Tifa intertwined their hands as she spoke her heart.

"Cloud..." her voice was soothing. "No matter how far away you are... I will always be right here waiting for you..." she cupped his cheek in her hand. "...because I love you."

Cloud's eyes widened after hearing those words. Her eyes were fixed on his gorgeous blue ones and she loved the way he was looking at her.

"You... love me?" he said confused and Tifa smiled at his puzzled look.

"I've always loved you Cloud... and I always will." She smiled tenderly.

"...Tifa..." Cloud took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. Overwhelmed, she also wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him close and never let go. She was enjoying her moment with Cloud and so was he.

After the long kiss, they pulled away to catch some breath and Cloud embraced her to whisper in her ear the words she had always wanted to hear from him.

"I love you too, Tifa Lockhart." He said softly.

Tifa smiles and begins to weep in his chest. Once again, he searches for her lips and sealed their love with a tender kiss.

A few hours later, they made love to each other for the first time.

The End.

* * *

**_A/N: OMG! D: I've finally finished this fic! ;A; It took me like... FOREVER! XDD but it's finally done! :3 I hope you guys enjoy the last chap ^_^ and thank you so much for your patience (maybe later I'll write the Epilogue :3 hehehe XD)_**


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

That morning, Tifa woke up very early to start the day. She went downstairs and approached the front door to turn the "Closed" sign to open the bar. It was almost 8:00 am in the morning and the first customers began to arrive.

There was always little activity during the mornings, since most of the customers were workers of Edge, and that is the reason why Seventh Heaven was open at that time, so she could offer them some breakfast and coffee.

After a few minutes, a dark-haired young man comes to the counter and greets her while she was tending the bar.

"Good morning, Tifa." He said warmly.

"Oh, hello Noctis." She smiled at him. "Do you want the usual?"

"Yes, please." He nods and sits on one of the barstools.

"Here you go." She places the meal on the counter.

"Thanks Teef."

"So, did you solve the problem you had last night?" she asked him as she wiped some vessels from the counter.

"Not quite," he looks at her. "But we'll see soon." and then smiled.

"Good." She also smiles.

"What about you?" he cleans some food from his mouth with a napkin. "Did you have any problems last night?" he looked at her with curiosity.

"Not at all." She shook her head smiling. "In fact," she bit her lower lip. "It was the opposite..." she blushed.

Noctis stopped eating his food for a moment just to look at her. She was glowing. There was something different about her that morning. It was like her smile was brighter than usual. Noctis realized this and before he could say something, Cloud came downstairs to say goodbye to her before leaving to make deliveries.

Cloud noticed his presence and immediately put himself on alert. Noctis did the same but he simply avoids eye contact with him. He didn't want to embarrass Tifa so he tried to act normal.

"Tifa, I'm leaving now." Cloud said while he took some boxes. Tifa skipped a bit after hearing his husky voice and her eyes lit up when she saw Cloud.

"Yipe!" she said cheerful. "Excuse me, I'll be right back." And then she went to where Cloud was, leaving Noctis with a puzzled look on his face. Cloud was about to exit the bar when Tifa stopped his tracks.

"Cloud, wait!" she called.

He stooped and turned around to meet her.

"You're not going to leave without saying goodbye, don't you?" she teased him.

Cloud chuckled a bit and then narrowed his eyes tenderly at her.

"Of course not." He smirked.

Tifa leaned forward to press a soft kiss on his cheek and then wrapped her arms around his waist. Cloud does the same over her shoulders and he pulls her close to him. Tifa releases him from the embrace and searched for his lips, which she took them hard and deep. While he was kissing her, Cloud opened his eyes to focus on Noctis. Noctis on the other hand, was watching them from the corner of his eye and went back to his meal when he felt Cloud's gaze on him. Cloud narrowed his eyes at him fiercely and Tifa felt some tension between them and immediately pulled away from his lips to look at him in the eye.

"Is something wrong?" she asked confused.

Cloud turned his attention back to her and simply smiled. "No, my love. Everything is just fine.**" **He placed a hand on her face and cupped her cheek. She smiled tenderly and once again, they join their lips in a sweet kiss.

"Don't be late." She whispered in his ear.

"I won't." he replied softly before pressing a brief kiss on her forehead. And with that, he went outside.

Tifa returned to tend the bar and she was smiling like a dork. Noctis saw her smiling face and simply chuckled.

"So now Spiky and you are a couple?" he teased her.

Tifa blushed madly at his comment and simply nodded in response. Noctis chuckled even more when he saw her reaction. She was smiling all the time and he was really enjoying this as well. He haven't seen her so happy and her happiness was filling his heart with joy. Although he felt something for her, he was relieved that her feelings were reciprocated by Cloud.

After having finished his meal, he stood from the barstool and prepared to leave.

"Thanks for the meal, Teef. It was delicious." He paid her.

"You're leaving so soon?" she asked puzzled.

"Yeah, I need to take care of some family business;" he sighed. "And I'm afraid I won't be able to come back until it's done." He affirmed.

"So, you're going back to your country?" she asked sadly.

"That's right." He nodded.

"I see..." She lowered her gaze. "The bar nights are not going to be the same without you..." she tried to smile.

"Well, one thing is for sure now... At least you're not going to be alone anymore." He winked at her. Tifa smiled warmly at his words and then nodded.

"Hmph!" she replied.

"Well, I better get going then. Take care, Tifa. It's been a pleasure." He bowed and Tifa did the same. Noctis turned around and headed for the exit when suddenly Tifa called out to him.

"Noctis?" she shouted.

He immediately turned around to face her one last time.

"Thank you." She said with a smile on her face. Noctis narrowed his eyes and also smiled at her. And then, he went outside.

* * *

When Noctis exited the front door, he noticed that Cloud was still there on the bar's entrance. He was leaning on his motorcycle with his arms crossed and with his eyes shut. Noctis stood there for a moment and then he let out a small chuckle. He continued his way and just when he went near him, he stopped

"Take care of her." He said without turning his gaze.

Cloud opened his eyes without looking at him. "I will." He replied simply.

Noctis smirked at this and continued his way. Cloud followed him with his gaze as he disappears into the crowd, until there was no sign of him. After making sure he wasn't at sight, he put on his goggles and took off on his Fenrir with a smile on his face.

End.

* * *

**_A/N: So there you have it!_****_ ^w^ _****_a much better ending for this fic tee hee! XD _******

******_Cloud's jealousy is always been so hilarious! XDD and it kinda suits him well :3 makes him look more hotter! *O*_**

**_As for Noctis... I've tried to keep his personality and his seeming shy but cool guy facade, but for some reason, I like him better with a much more confident personality._**

**_Tifa was the naive in this one o.o I think in the end she wanted to keep both u.u and I don't blame her... who wouldn't want to keep those babies as their own? XDD_**

**_Anyway, I really had fun doing this fic :3 and thanks again for the reviews :3 hope I get more with this one lol XD_**

**_See ya soon! ;)_**


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